The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-05-12


light hair was SO grey that it showed
in streaks even in the fire light. Sne
had faded blue eyes, rather u pleasant
face, with a weak chin and vague un.
certain look. Both women wore faded
lavender calico dresses, and strings OF
blue glass beads about their lank, col
larless necks. The other men walked
off, with not very subdued remarks
concerning the uselessness OF poor
white trash"
The cook came up grumbling q few
minutes later, and handed the wom-
an who had tried to drown
herself plug OF tobacco. She fell to
chewing and mumblingit Ike hungry
dog with bone Her companion
watched her an instant, then turning
to Benson asked III the soft, sweet
voice, common to southern women,
Amt yo' preacher MANI
Do you mean n minister" asked he.
"lf you do, let me say, madam, that
j am not"
She sighed again, and held her feet
toward the fire to warm them. you
look like scholard, any way" she
resumed, "an we all is ignorant. We
never learned anything out'n books"
"Jim could read she added, with
evident pride. "He could read print
like anything. I've seed him read
out'n the New Testament, like he was
a preacher; hardly had TO skip any oil
the long words. 1t didn't help him
any, though, ef he was q scholard,"
she said with sigh.
"Who is Jim?" asked Mr.. Benson.
"Im coming to that tcrrectly. /
reckon you'll be obliged to let me tell
my story like wane to. Pm mighty
sorry you'ns isn't q preacher, bekase
Pm nightly tore up in my mind
about Mary Lizzy over thar" at the
same time indicating the woman with
the tobacco.
what about her?" asked Benson.
"She's plum tierstracted to drown
herself. Pears like I'll fly out my
mind when ] think she mough do it
when | wasn't watching.
"Im ginerally watohin', but il | was
asleep now an she'd do it an didn't
know it"
The woman left her sentence unfin.
ished save by long-drawn sigh.
"You could not be blamed, " said he.
"Thet there amt the pint. That's
what / wanted to AK yo' when ]
thought yo' was preacher man. ]
tecken yo' can tell me any way.
DO yo' really reckon her
soul would go down to everlastin'
torment, ef she'd kill herself"
The woman bent forward to hear his
answer. The wind sighed in the
branches overhead, and swung the
grey moss mournfully.
Mary Lily had shut her eyes, and
sat doing.
w-I-am sure -I-don't quite
know, my good woman,-I-I-would
really be Obliged to think over it
awhile" said Mr.. Benson hesitatingly.
The woman drew another long sigh
and was silent for q moment. The
bwl flew back to the tree over head,
and seemed to be knocking them with
his boots.
"Thet's it thet's Jest it, said she, in
her soft voice with it's hall plaintive
drawl "Hit amt me keer fur, kase
he'd know it wasn't my fault But
j reckon 'twould hurt him nightly.
Yes, 'twould hurt him in his grave.
Thar amt nobody knows the dead
can't see what's gwine on up hyar on
the yearth.
She drew her hand across her eyes,
and her voice broke q little us she
continued:
"Pears like never could keer for
nobody but i'm. An'-an'-I like to
feel he knows what Pm dom fur his
sake.
"Who was JIM" asked Benson.
"He was the man | lowed to marry
oncet. He was mighty fond of me,
he was. He was the crack shot OF the
settlement, Jim was. Ell n wild tur-
key or deer was raflled, jim was the
one to kerry it Off Jim he'd got our
house finished, two rooms an apatch
OF ground cleared fur garden truck, an
my weddin' frock was made. Hit was
white muslin with blue posy sprig-
ged over 1t.
al never could bar to see tibet thar
frocl. / laid it away out'n my sight.
Hit got nightly yallow a-layin' by,
but | reckon I'll be laid out in it when
Pm dead"
Here she paused again and gazsd in
to the fire.
Mr.. Benson asked;
"Did Jim die?"
mo, not terreckly. We'd done been
married ef mother hadn't took sick.
She'd had misery in her head all
spring, an she was sick nightly.
Sometimes we'd think she was plum
gone. We sont for Mary Lily to